Central govt authority to review Pumpwell flyover work

The joint secretary to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will review the work on the Pumpwell-Thokkottu flyover on February 26, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said on Thursday.

The officer will check in order to accelerate the flyover work, he added.

“Measures will be taken to ensure the completion of the flyover by May 2019,” Kateel said, after flagging off of the new Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru tri-weekly express at Mangaluru Central railway station on Thursday.

“There has been a hue and cry on the stagnation of Pumpwell flyover works from the Opposition,” the MP said and clarified that the work was delayed due to technical hurdles.

Rebuffs Lobo’s charges

The MP, responding to questions on the allegations levelled against him by former MLA J R Lobo, said he had served his constituency sincerely and had succeeded in getting Rs 16,500 crore for the district. “It is a pity that J R Lobo, who was Commissioner of the Mangaluru City Corporation, is unaware of the fact that the Pumpwell flyover project was handed over to Navyug company by the UPA government on build–operate–transfer (BOT) basis. The BOT agreement has ensured no penal provision against the company,” the MP pointed out.

“The MCC dilly-dallied in handing over the Mahaveera Circle at Pumpwell, which leads to the inordinate delay in the completion of work”, Kateel said.

He also said documents justifying his charges against Lobo would be released at the appropriate time. The MP, meanwhile, challenged Lobo to face an inquiry on the alleged misappropriation to the tune of Rs 700 crore in the UGD works carried out by KUDCEMP.